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THE  RED  SULTAN'S  SOLILOQUY 


THE 

RED  SULTAN'S  SOLILOQUY 


BY 

S.  V.  BEDICKIAN 

AUTHOR  OF  "TURKISH  GEMS" 

WITH    INTRODUCTION    BY 

ALICE  STONE  BLACKWELL 


BOSTON 

SHERMAN,  FRENCH  ^  COMPANY 

1912 


By  the  Same  Author 

(Ready  for  the  press) 

"THE  SULTAN'S  VISION  OF  DEWEY" 

"  UNCLE  CHANTICLEER  " 


Copyright  1912 
S.  V.  BEDICKIAN 

Entered  at  Stationers'  Hall 


All  rights  reserved 


YRL  ' 


TO 

THE  MARTYRS  OF  ALL  NATIONALITIES 
WHO  PREPARED  THE  WAY  FOR  OTTOMAN 
LIBERTY. 

TO  THE  CHRISTIAN  AND  MOSLEM  EXILES 
WHO  WORKED  FOR  THIS  LIBERTY. 

TO  THE  MEN  WHO  SECURED  THIS 
LIBERTY,  AND  TO  THE  ARMY  WHICH  PRE- 
SERVED IT, 

THE  RED  SULTAN'S  SOLILOQUY  IS 
HUMBLY  DEDICATED 

BY  THE  AUTHOR. 


ALICE  STONE  BLACKWELL 


INTRODUCTION 

One  of  the  most  interesting  national  histories  in  the  world 
is  that  of  the  Armenian  people.  It  is  full  of  the  brightest  hero- 
ism and  of  the  blackest  tragedy.  No  one  with  an  open  mind  and 
a  feeling  heart  can  read  it  without  admiration  and  vivid  sympathy. 
Among  the  many  persecutions  from  which  the  Armenians  have 
suffered  for  centuries,  the  worst  have  been  those  inflicted  by  the 
late  Sultan  Abdul  Hamid— "  Abdul  the  Damned,"  as  William 
Watson  well  called  him.  In  this  book,  an  Armenian  author 
commemorates  the  downfall  of  this  dastardly  tyrant,  and  gives  us 
an  idea  of  what  his  reflections  must  have  been  when  he  left  his 
throne  for  a  prison.  Every  book  is  to  be  welcomed  that  can  in- 
crease public  interest  in  a  question  of  such  importance  as  the 
present  status  and  future  fate  of  Turkey.  The  illustrations  of 
the  present  volume  bring  vividly  before  our  eyes  Constantinople 
and  its  environs,  with  portraits  of  many  influential  persons. 

ALICE  STONE  BLACKWELL. 


y.  "- 


X 

y, 

O 


PREFACE 
THE  HISTORY 

The  reign  of  Abdul  Hamid  had  become  notorious  for  its 
misrule  and  inquisitorial  oppression  from  which  both  the 
Christians  and  Moslems  suffered.  On  account  of  his  diabolical 
policy  of  extermination  and  its  actually  carried  out  programs 
of  periodical  massacrings  of  the  Armenians,  history  has 
branded  Abdul  Hamid  "the  Red  Sultan." 

The  fact  is  ever  since  the  creation,  at  the  instance  of  the 
Armenian  delegation  sent  out  by  Patriarch  Nersess,  of  the  61st 
article  of  the  Treaty  of  Berlin,  by  which  the  Powers  made  it 
binding  on  the  Porte  to  introduce,  without  delay,  such  reforms 
in  Armenia  as  would  protect  the  lives  and  properties  of  the 
Armenians  against  Kurdish  depredations  and  official  misrule, 
it  became  the  fixed  policy  of  Abdul's  reign  to  so  depopulate,  or, 
at  least,  weaken  the  strong  Armenian  settlements,  both  by 
massacres  and  by  importations  of  Turkish  and  Circassian  emi- 
grants into  these  Armenian  centers,  as  to  leave  no  vilayet  in 
Armenia  in  majority  of  Armenians  to  need  any  further  execu- 
tion of  the  61st  article.  And  to  carry  out  this  infamous  policy, 
moreover,  there  was  created  the  ill-famed  organization  called 
the  Hamidieh  Cavalry,  composed  of  the  very  race,  the  Kurds, 
who  had  so  long  been  the  scourge  of  the  Armenians,  and  of 
whom  large  numbers  were  brought  to  Constantinople,  ban- 
queted by  the  Sultan,  and,    loaded    with    presents    and  fully 

17 


18  PREFACE 

equipped  for  their  future  work,  they  were  sent  back  to  do  po- 
lice duty  among  the  Armenians ! 

The  pohcy  admirably  succeeded  in  its  infernal  aims.  For 
the  fearful  massacres  of  1895-6,  not  to  mention  the  continued 
loss  of  life,  on  a  smaller  scale,  ever  since  and  before  those  ter- 
rible days,  nor  bring  in  the  still  more  recent  carnage  of 
Adana  and  its  province  where  not  less  than  30,000  Christians 
were  put  to  the  sword  and  fire,  and  their  once  happy  homes  and 
flourishing  properties  utterly  destroyed,  left  large  tracts  of 
civilized  territory  desolate,  their  former  industrious  inhabi- 
tants being  either  killed  or  forced  to  emigrate  into  other  coun- 
tries. 

The  Armenians  have  ever  been  foremost  among  the  sub- 
ject races  in  their  industrial  achievements  and  wealth-producing 
ability.  Their  daring  in  commercial  enterprise,  and  in  develop- 
ing native  resources  in  so  far  as  they  were  not  handicapped  by 
local  conditions,  or  actually  hindered  by  officialdom,  has  been 
their  national  characteristic.  Tourists  from  Europe  and 
America,  as  well  as  missionaries,  have,  with  admiration,  wit- 
nessed everywhere  in  the  empire  the  marks  of  the  Armenian's 
intelligence  and  industry  as  seen  in  their  successful  business 
ventures  and  attractive  home  surroundings. 

Now  a  nation's  strength  and  greatness  lie,  to  a  large  ex- 
tent, in  the  wealth-producing  abihty  of  its  citizens,  and  in  the 
degree  that  this  wealth-producing  power  in  the  nation  is 
destroyed  or  weakened,  to  that  degree  that  nation  is  destroyed 
or  weakened.  These  continued  and  systematic  devastations, 
therefore,   of    the    lives,   properties     and     industries   of     such 


II.    I.   M.    11  IK   M-AV  SI  I.TAN— MEIIMRl)  V 


UK     IS      A       HKIINKI)      (iENTI.KMAN,       A       KIM)      II KA IIIKI)      lUl.KH,       AM)    IS      I\ 
THOllO    SYMPATHY    WITH     IIIK    CONSHTIIIoN  . 


PREFACE  23 

a  people  as  the  Armenians  of  the  Ottoman  empire  could  not  but 
be  an  enormous  economic  loss  to  the  empire  and  consequently 
a  very  serious  weakness  to  it.* 

This  mad  policy  had  already  brought  the  Ottoman  empire 
into  international  disrepute,  and  was  fast  dragging  it  into 
ruin  when  Turks  who  had  come  in  contact  with  European 
civilization  in  connection  with  their  military  training,  diplo- 
matically and  otherwise,  as  well  as  others  of  the  more  intelli- 
gent of  the  race,  launched  forth  a  bold  movement  to  rescue  the 
empire  from  its  rapid  march  to  destruction.  These  men  called 
"The  Young  Turks,"  from  various  parts  of  constitutional 
Europe,  notably  from  Paris,  their  headquarters,  began  both  an 
open  and  a  secret  propaganda  of  their  ideas  which  aimed  at 
the  saving  of  the  empire  by  bringing  it  under  a  constitutional 
regime. 

After  years  of  effective  preparation,  the  Salonikan  army 
having  been  thoroly  indoctrinated  into  these  ideas,  and 
when  the  time  was  deemed  ripe  for  action,  the  two  noted  com- 
manders of  the  Second  and  Third  army  corps,  namely.  Major 
Niazi  and  Enver  Bey,  sent  the  Sultan  the  following  telegram: 
"We  give  your  majesty  twenty-four  hours  to  proclaim  the  res- 
toration of  the  constitution,    otherwise  the  army    will  march 

upon  Constantinople." 

*A  similar  policy  of  death  and  ruin,  tho  less  prominent  and  appalling,  but 
still  involving  proportionate  loss  and  weakness  to  the  country,  was  pursued  by 
the  Sultan  and  his  short-sighted  government  in  other  parts  of  the  empire, 
notably  in  the  Balkans,  in  Crete,  and  even  in  Arabia,  where  also  the  crying 
need  of  the  hour  had  been  reformatory  measures.  Crete  was  eventually  paci- 
fied with  complete  autonomy  under  the  nominal  suzerainty  of  the  Sultan,  but 
actually  under  the  combined  protectorate  of  England,  France,  Russia  and 
Italy,  while  the  other  coimtries  were  left  in  the  old  regime  of  bloody  repression. 


24  PREFACE 

The  foxy  Sultan,  seeing  that  this  time  it  was  impossible 
to  outgeneral  in  the  game,  readily  yielded,  and  forthwith 
granted  the  desired  constitution  which  had  first  been  promul- 
gated in  1876  by  the  celebrated  jNIidhat  Pasha,  but  which  was 
soon  shelved  up.* 

Thus  heaven  and  earth  stood  amazed  to  see  a  "bloodless 
revolution"  by  which,  next  to  Russia,  the  most  despotic  gov- 
ernment on  the  face  of  the  globe  became  a  constitutional  mon- 
archy on  that  memorable  day  of  July  24,  1908. f 

*Altho  the  constitution  is  commonly  known  as  Midhat's,  yet,  as  a  mat- 
ter of  fact,  much  of  its  letter  and  spirit  was  due  to  the  genius  of  a  group  of 
noted  Armenians  in  the  service  of  the  government,  among  whom  may  be 
mentioned  the  distinguished  Odian.  (See  page  80.)  Moreover,  it  is  not  gen- 
erally known  that  availing  themselves  of  the  Hatti-Humaioun  or  emperial 
edict  issued  by  Sultan  Medjid  in  1856,  laying  down  governmental  principles 
for  imiversal  reform  in  the  empire,  the  Armenians  were  the  first  to  draw  up  a 
formal  constitution  for  themselves  which  was  approved  and  sanctioned  by  the 
Sultan,  and  which,  so  far  as  I  know,  was  the  first  instrument  of  the  kind  ever 
attempted  on  the  continent  of  Asia.  For  a  translation  of  this  pioneer  work 
see  Lyywh'.'i  Armenid,   ]'ol.  II.     Aj>pendue  1. 

A  remarkable  tradition  connected  with  the  first  constitutional  movement 
is  to  the  effect  that  in  his  scheme  of  reforms  and  dream  of  a  pan-Ottoman  em- 
pire, Midhat  had  included  the  substitution  of  the  Armenian  alphabet  for  the 
Turkish — a  reform  which,  owing  to  the  phonetic  wealth  of  the  Armenian, 
would  have  entirely  removed  the  almost  insurmoimtable  difficulties  of  Turk- 
ish orthography  and  pronunciation,  and  thus  rendered  the  imperial  language 
to  be  easily  acquired  by  both  the  native  races,  and  foreigners.  But  the  idea 
was  too  revolutionary  to  be  adopted  and  had  to  be  abandoned. 

tWhile  the  Young  Turks  are  justly  entitled  to  the  credit  of  the  actual 
overthrow  of  the  tyrannical  regime,  nevertheless  the  future  historian  will  be 
open  to  the  charge  of  bias  and  lack  of  philosophical  insight,  did  he  fail  to 
bring  out,  with  emphasis,  the  fact  that  the  Armenians  were  not  only  the  pion- 
eers in  the  movement — in  pouring  into  the  ears  of  Europe  and  America  their 
plaintive  voices  against  the  said  regime,  and  demanding  the  introduction  of 
reforms  in  the  land — but  that  the  Young  Turks  themselves  were  spurred  on  to 
action  by  the  persistent  activities  of  the  Armenian  revolutionary  societies. 

Nor  must  the  influences  of  the  American  educational  institutions  in  the 
empire  upon  the  Christian  races  directly,  and  upon  the  Moslems  indirectly,  be 
ignored,  or  left  out  of  the  great  forces  that  at  last  produced  this  political  up- 
heaval. 


a    > 
>    O 


MAIIMOri)  SIIl'A  KKl'    I'ASIIA 


lo.M  M  AS  init-iN-c  Ml  i:i    oi     iiii:    \UM^    111     iiii:i:i)i)M    \\iinii     looh     lossi  ani  indim.i; 

AM)    .MADK    AUDll,     A      riilSI)M:H,     NOW      Till:     .MIMSli;il     OI      WAU. 

Ai>d  ijri'dt  Slici'kd  niij  rlsii,it'--<  mil  liiiijlil.  I  tntir  hill, 're, 
Coiiijiclliil  flirt  iiflir  furl  In  i/in    up  nriii-''  iiinl  In  if  for  jinirr. 

I'ligL-  ".n; 


PREFACE  29 

Naturally  there  were  in  the  land,  notably  in  the  capital, 
indescribable  scenes  of  rejoicing  and  unheard-of  fraternizings 
between  the  Christians  and  the  Moslems.  At  the  same  time, 
however,  there  was  also  a  strong  undercurrent  of  fanatical 
feeling  in  some  Mohammedan  circles  against  this  innovation 
introduced  from  "  infidel "  Europe,  on  the  ground  that  it — the 
constitution — superseded  the  sacred  Sheriat,  the  laws  of  the 
Koran,  and  because  also  that  it  declared  the  absolute  equality 
of  the  races,  that  is,  Moslem,  Christian  and  Jew,  were  all  now 
placed  on  an  equal  footing.  This  reactionary  sentiment  was 
largely  shared  also  by  some  of  the  high  dignitaries,  as  well  as 
by  the  army  of  parasites  who  now  plainly  saw  that  the  new 
order  of  things  would  put  them  altogether  out  of  their  nefari- 
ous business  of  bloodsucking.* 

Consequently,  on  the  13th  of  April,  1909,  all  of  a  sud- 
den, the  soldiers  of  the  various  garrisons  of  the  capital  rushed 
out  of  their  barracks,  without  their  regular  officers  (these 
having  been  previously  either  killed  or  placed  in  custody),  and 
marched  into  the  public  square  surrounding  the  ParHament 
House,  and  made  an  alarming  demonstration,  demanding  the 
carrying  out  of  certain  itemized  measures,  prominent  among 

*To  give  one  an  idea  of  the  vastness  of  the  army  of  men  of  this  class,  one 
needs  only  to  be  reminded  of  the  fact  that  both  the  Sultan  and  the  govern- 
ment had  been,  for  years,  running  notorious  systems  of  espionage  and  "graft." 
It  was  announced  by  the  papers  that  the  new  government  would  retire  27,000 
government  officials  and  public  employees  for  the  good  of  the  service  and  for 
reasons  of  economy !  Of  course,  subsequently,  espionage  was  completely 
abolished,  while  the  army  of  the  "  spongers  "  was  greatly  reduced,  if  not  alto- 
gether discharged.  Out  of  the  700  cooks  at  the  palace,  for  instance,  530  were 
told  by  the  National  Assembly  to  go  and  earn  their  bread  by  the  sweat  of 
their  face  hereafter ! 


30  PREFACE 


which  were  the  declaration  of  the  supremacy  of  the  Sheriat  and 
the  dismissal  of  certain  leaders  of  the  Young  Turks,  including 
Ahmed  Riza  Bey,  the  President  of  the  National  Assembly.  The 
soldiers  were  pacified  and  sent  back  to  their  barracks.  The 
fall  of  the  ministry  followed,  and  the  Old  Fox  was  again  su- 
preme. It  may  safely  be  remarked  that  the  Constitution  being 
obtained  under  a  threat,  the  Sultan  himself  was  naturally  in 
thoro  sympathy  with  the  so-called  Sheriatist  uprising,  and, 
doubtless,  had  in  every  way  much  to  do  with  the  apparent  over- 
throw of  the  new  government.* 

But  the  Young  Turks  movement  was  not  to  be  doomed, 
only  it  needed  to  be  consecrated  with  the  inevitable  shedding 
of  human  blood.  So  in  less  than  two  weeks,  or  more  exactly, 
on  the  22d  of  April,  the  famous  army  of  Salonika,  whose  initia- 
tive had  forced  the  Sultan  to  proclaim  the  constitution,  was 
under  the  very  shadows  of  the  minarets  of  Constantinople. 
Garrison  after  garrison  surrendered  to  the  invading  army  ex- 
cept two,  but  after  a  stubborn  battle  in  which  even  field  guns 
were  used,  and  many  on  both  sides  fell,f  the  resisting  forces 
were  soon  vanquished  and  the  city's  complete  surrender  was 
accomplished  without  any  disorder  whatever.  Then  in  a  rapid 
succession  of  legal  steps  based  upon  the  Sheriat  as  interpreted 
by  the  Sheik-ul-Islam,  Abdul  Hamid  II.  was  unceremoniously 
deposed,  and  his  brother  Mehmed  Reshad  Effendi  was  pro- 
claimed the  new  ruler  of  Turkey  on  the  27th  day  of  April, 

1909. 

*See  page  91 

+  It  was  reported    that  the  "  Army  of  Freedom  "   lost  97  killed  and  160 
wounded,  while  the  insurgents  lost  297  killed  and  585  wounded. 


AHMED  RIZA  BEY 

mSTIXC.T'ISHED  LEADER  IN  THE  YOl'NG  TUHKS'  MOVEMENT.  PITBLISHED  IN  PARIS 
THE  MESHVERET,  THi:iR  ORGAN.  ON  HIS  RETURN  TO  CONSTANTINOPLE,  HE  WAS 
ELECTED  THE  FIRST  PRESIDENT  OF  THE  FIRST  NATIONAI,  ASSEMBLY.  ON  NOVEM- 
BER 14,  1909,  HE  WAS  AGAIN  ELECTED  TO  THE  SAME  POST  OF  HONOR  AND  IN- 
FLl'ENCE.       HE    IS    A    DREAMER    OF    A    STRONG    PAX-OTTOMAN    EMPIRE. 


I  2 


N    ^  £    :- 


^   e    -5:    ?: 


S  a 


PREFACE  35 


The  Red  Sultan's  presence  in  the  capital  now  being 
deemed  unsafe  for  the  peace  and  stability  of  the  re-established 
constitutional  government,  he  was  immediately,  in  the  dead  of 
the  night,  taken  to  the  station  and  by  a  special  train  in  waiting, 
spirited  away  to  Salonika.  I  give  below  a  translation  of  the 
graphic  account  from  the  pen  of  Ghalib  Bey,  Inspector  General 
of  the  Civic  and  Military  forces  of  the  capital,  of  the  solemn 
deportation  of  the  royal  exile  as  communicated  to  the  Courier 
d'Orient  and  quoted  in  the  Avedaper. 

"You  know  that  the  Yildiz  had  been  in  a  state  of  siege  for 
four  days.  On  Tuesday  by  order  of  the  Commander-in-Chief 
[Mahmoud  Shevket  Pasha]  I  seized  the  harems  and  some  other 
buildings  with  a  force  of  50  mounted  Roumelians.  At  one 
o'clock  P.  M.,  I  wired  to  the  Commander-in-Chief  that  I  had 
seized  the  harems.  He  directed  me  to  await  the  action  of  the 
National  Council,  which  was  that  afternoon  to  inform  the  Sul- 
tan of  his  deposition.  At  3  the  deputation  arrived.  At  8  P.  M. 
the  Commander-in-Chief  selected  Gen.  Houssein  Husni  com- 
manding the  First  Division  of  the  Army  of  Freedom,  myself 
and  Lieut.  Ali  Fethi  Bey  a  staff  officer  and  an  attache  of  the 
Ottoman  embassy  at  Paris,  to  go  and  inform  Abdul  Hamid  that 
it  had  been  decided  by  the  Military  Council  to  take  him  to 
Salonika. 

In  a  military  automobile  we  proceeded  to  the  palace 
and  told  Djevad  Bey,  the  former  Secretary,  to  inform  Abdul 
Hamid  that  we  had  come  to  deliver  to  him  an  official  message. 
Djevad  Bey  enters  the  harem,  and     we  hear    loud    weeping. 


3C  PREFACE 


Abdul  Hamid,  pale,  terrified  and  trembling,  comes  out,  salutes 
and  sits  down.  As  the  spokesman,  I  inform  him  that  by  order 
of  the  Military  Council  he  is  at  once  to  prepare  himself  to  leave 
by  train  for  Salonika.  The  news  startled  him.  He  asked  me 
to  request  the  Commander-in-Chief  to  permit  him  to  occupy 
the  Tcheraghan  [one  of  the  palaces  on  the  Bosphorus].  I  re- 
plied that  the  decision  could  not  be  altered. 

After  a  long  silence  he  inquired: 

'Will  my  life  be  spared  at  least.'" 

I  answered  'yes.' 

'Yes,'  he  repeated,  'they  always  say  so,  but  do  otherwise 
afterwards.' 

Abdurrahim  Effendi  and  Djevad  Bey,  who  were  present, 
inquired  some  ten  or  fifteen  times  whether  the  promise  for  the 
safety  of  his  life  would  be  kept. 

'Yes,  yes,'  I  answered. 

Finally  Abdul  Hamid  tearfully  sobbed  out: 

'How  do  you  expect  me  to  endure  a  punishment  which 
none  of  my  predecessors  ever  received.'" 

'The  Commander-in-Chief,'  I  added,  'is  sending  you  to  Sa- 
lonika simply  to  spare  you  a  fate  to  which  many  of  your  prede- 
cessors unfortunately  fell  victims.' 

Again  a  long  silence. 

Then  we  discussed  the  question  as  to  who  all  should  ac- 
company him,  namely: 

Four  concubines, 

Three  sultanas. 


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PREFACE  41 

Two  princes,  Abdurrahim  and  Abdulkadir, 

Five  governors  and  governesses, 

Four  eunuchs,  and 

Nine  servants. 

At  midnight  the  procession  was  formed  as  follows:  my- 
self and  companions  leading  in  the  military  automobile  are  fol- 
lowed by  Abdul  Hamid,  the  two  princes  and  the  three  Sul- 
tanas are  occupying  a  magnificent  carriage.  The  rest  of  the 
party  in  various  palace  conveyances  and  in  four  hired  coupes 
followed  us,  while  a  strong  force  of  mounted  militia  accompanied 
the  procession.  At  Sirkedji  Abdul  Hamid  and  his  suite  enter 
the  palatial  train  that  was  in  waiting  for  them  specially.  The  at- 
tendants are  carrying  the  valises  and  other  baggage  belonging 
to  the  royal  party,  while  I  lift  the  little  prince  scarcely  six 
years  old,  and  place  him  on  the  train.  Only  Abdurrahim  was 
smiling.  A  moment  ago  he  was  burning  with  a  desire  to  see 
Salonika,  saying  that  he  was  quite  tired  of  being  confined  to  the 
Yildiz  ever  since  he  was  a  child.  Ali  Fethi  Bey,  two  officers 
and  twenty  soldiers  boarded  the  same  train  to  escort  Abdul 
Hamid  and  his  party,  henceforth  to  spend  their  days  within 
the  castle  of  Alatini.  At  2  A.  M.,  Wednesday,  the  train 
pulled  out.  There  was  no  one  looking  out  of  the  windows,  and 
no  leave-taking!" 

Thus,  lo,  at  last,  the  mills  of  the  immortal 

gods  did  grind. 
Thus  was  the  Tyrant's  soul  to  the  lasting  shame 

and  grief  consigned ! 

THE  AUTHOR. 


AHDII.    HAMIl)    II 

i)i;i'()Si:i)   ON    Till:    iiiii    or    m'iiii.,    l!Mi<). 

J.niil:  III  t/ii'xi-  niiri'  I'ri'ii  uu'l  iiiii/lih/  xlmnlil,  r.<  nf  iiii/  fniiin' 
'J'/i'il.    Mlos-li/:,  .  Ill,   iiniuliriiii^  ijlnl.i   nf  (hiiinu'x  riiijiin   linn 


I'liRe  GS 


THE  RED  SULTAN'S  SOLILOQUY 

AND  here  I  am  in  this  lone   Salonikan   fort   con- 
fined 
A  royal  prisoner,  tormented  worse,  by  far,  by  this 
Uncertainty  of  end  that  waits  my  once  exalted  head 
Than  e'er  a  prince  of  crimes  in  earth  or  hell  was  doomed 
to  bear. 

O  change  beyond  compare!     O  fate     inexorably 

harsh ! 
O  perfidy  supreme  and  base  betrayal  that  at  last 
O'ertook  my  sovran  flight,  and  from  ethereal  majesty 
Hurled  me  adown  into  unfathomed  depths  of  shame 

such  as 
No  progeny  of  Osman's  famous  race  did  e'er  befall! 

But  yesterday  among  my  peers  I,  peerless,  sat  a 
king 
And  did,  as  Caliph  true,  the  ardent  love  and  homage 

draw 
Of  countless  souls  that  daily  called  the  Prophet's  name 

in  prayer. 
But  yesterday  I  could,  as  by  magic,  together  call 

45 


46    THE    RED    SULTAN'S    SOLILOQUY 

A  thousand  legions  of  brave  soldiers  who  fain  would  in 

sight 
Of  Islam's  flag,  lay  down  their  precious  lives  in  holy 

war. 
Full  well  did  Europe  know  my  scepter's  might,  and 

zealously 
Each  monarch  vied  with  ceaseless  marks  of  love  and 

flattery 
To  court  my  smiles  and  amity,  to  safer  wield  their  sway 
O'er  lands  where  Islam's  votaries,  by  higher  power 

decreed, 
To  infidel  behest  must  needs  an  earthly  homage  pay. 
Their  cofl*ers,  too,  with  their  rich  gold  and  silver,  ever 

stood 
Subservient  to  my  imperial  designs  and  wants. 
And  I,  with  conscious   worth    and    cunning    wit,  weU 

knew  indeed 
To  use  their  gold  with  lavish  hands,  until  for  pomp  and 

ease. 
My   harems   far   eclipsed   King    Solomon's   seraglios' 

fame. 
For  fully  three  and  thirty  years  well  did  my  star  of 

fate. 
Like  Sirius,    in  matchless  glory  rule  the  Eastern  sky. 


S3         M 


o 
w 

H 
O 

o 

O 

n 
O 

en 
H 
> 

H 

I— ( 

o 


-1    i:^.  F  ?; 
*  z  < 


J       5-    < 

O    'i% 


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z  ^  c 

a  c  £ 

a:  <  6. 

W  ^  * 

e  li]  ~ 

■'•  C  "' 

2  r<  < 


=  ."*  c 

E-    J*.    5 


THE    RED    SULTAN'S    SOLILOQUY     51 


No  reign  among  my  famous  sires  in  their  most  tense 

eclat 
Did  e'er  such  heights  of  wondrous  power  and  noble 

deeds  attain. 
No  priest  did  e'er  before  with  sweeter  voice  the  faithful 

call 
To  Islam  fanes,  nor  e'er  did  Moslem  hearts  the  prouder 

heave. 
Where'er  the  Crescent  waved  its  sacred  folds  o'er  land 

or  sea, 
Where'er  the  minaret  its  sacred  shadow  cast  aground. 
There  shouted  men,  "Long  live  Hamid  and  his  most 

noble  reign, 
No    worthier    hand    did    ever    rule    the    Conqueror's 

domain!" 

Not  only  did  the  mosques  of  Islam's  cult  from 

shore  to  shore 
In  gorgeous  pomp,  and  proud  acclaim,  and  boundless 

zeal  abound, 
But  schools  and  colleges  of  most  approved  and  useful 

types 
Did  everji^where  thruout  my  empire's  length  their  lofty 

domes 


52  THE  RED  SULTAN'S  SOLILOQUY 

Raise    pharoses    for    them    that    sailed    the    seas    of 
ignorance. 

Likewise  thru  my  enlightened  wish  and  love  for 

public  good, 
The  w^ondrous  arts  of  modern    times    which    Europe 

glories  in — 
Its  telegraph  and  rapid  trains,  and  works  of  diverse 

aims — 
Well  nigh  transformed  our  land  to  one  of  marvelous 

renown. 
And  thus  wiped  out  the  foreigner's  oft-taunted  stain 

on  us — 
That  we  were  but  a  fogy  folk  of  manners  old  and 

slow. 
The  tourists  saw   this    new   advance    and    everywhere 

exclaimed : 
"Great  is,  indeed,  the  change  in  this  most  ancient  land 

on  earth. 
Long  live  Abdul  Hamid,  the  wise  and  most  advanced 

of  Turks." 

Nor    was    I    blind    to    perils    great   to    Ottoman 
domains, 


X     z 


y. 


y.     E 


THE  RED  SULTAN'S  SOLILOQUY  57 


That  constantly  my  empire's  weal  and  nation's  life  did 

threat. 
The  six  Great  Powers  called  me,  in  scorn,  "the  Sick 

Man  of  the  East." 
And,  like  as  hungry  birds  of  prey,  with  looks  and  talons 

fierce 
Beside  the  dying  beast  impatient  stand,  until  the  wretch 
His  last  and  feeble  sign  of  life,  in  protest,  has  kicked 

out. 
And  then  bounce  down  upon  as  yet  th'uncooled  and 

breathing  corpse. 
So  they,  the  Infidels,  each,  with  cocked  ears,  impatient 

stood 
To  leap  and  gobble  up  my  vast  and  priceless  heritage. 
But  thanks  to  God,  by  daily  prayers  for  measures  wise 

and  safe, 
The  Prophet's  great  and  mighty  arm  all  needed  succor 

gave; 
And  I,  with  clever  skill  and  Tartar  wit,  full  many  a 

time, 
Not  only  did  their  base  designs  and  bold  advances  foil. 
But  did,  in  truth,  into  their  midst  the  ball  of  discord  roll. 
Until  they  well  forgot  their  common  prey — my  glorious 
throne — 


58  THE  RED  SULTAN'S  SOLILOQUY 


And  like  as  dogs  of  hostile  mien,  each  at  the  other 
barked. 

All  the  world  saw  these  games  of  chess  in  high  world- 
politics, 

And  stood  amazed  at  such  consummate  moves  and 
matchless  feats. 

So,  too,  in  our  internal  life  when  Haig's  ambitious 


sons 


* 


Spurred  on  by  racial  pride,    and  lured  by   charms  of 

liberty, 
Essayed  to  break  the  fetters  of  their  servitude  to  us. 
And  thus  their  long  defunct,  old  kingdom  gain  by  force 

of  arms, 
Not  trusting,  to  be  sure,  their  own  brave  arms  or  martial 

ken, 
But  thinking  that  these  mighty  crowns  of  Christendom, 

forsooth. 
Because  of  common  cult  and  ethnic  ties,  would  help 

their  cause. 
And  by  sheer  force  of  arms  combined,  their  native  land 

set  free. 
To  their  dismay  they  found,   I   was  a  match   to  such 

intrigues. 

*The  Armenians,  Haig  being  the  reputed  progenitor  of  the  race. 


Co       >* 

Si-  tn 


5"  7-   2     !-- 


w  ^ 

2  > 

'^  H 

3  pi 

2  O 

^  H 


For  AD   TASHA 


EiMINEXT  SOI.DIKH,  STAIT.SMAN,  1)1  IMO.M  AT  AM)  I'ATHIOT.  DISTIXdriSII  i:i)  HI.'MSKI.F 
IX  THI-:  ItlSSO-Tl  IIKISII  WAIt  IN  1S77  IIV  OKI  KATINC;  A  lOlUK  OT  K),(H)0  lUS- 
SIANS  WITH  AN  AII.'MV  OK  8,000  TIHKH.  AITKK  SKVI.N  VKAUS  OF  ACTI  Al.  l.Ml'KIS- 
ON.MIAT  IN  DA.MASirS,  UK  UKTIHN  Kl)  TO  THK  CAI'lTAI 
ENTHTSIASM    Ol'    THE    TEOI'IE. 


AMID       Tin:     ItolNDI.ESS 


THE   RED    SULTAN'S    SOLILOQUY     63 


For  those  great  Powers  in  whose  good  will  and  aid 

they  so  believed, 
With  their  vast  hosts,  hke  as  a  throng  a  bloody  bullfight 

sees. 
Stood  still  and  but,  in  morbid  air,  looked  on  the  fearful 

scene 
Of  carnage  which  my  Kurdish  hordes  did  merciless 

commit 
On  false  Armenia's  soil,  and  all  her  wealth  as  booty 

take. 
And  with  her  fairest  maids  their     haremhcs  fore'er 

enrich. 
And,  tho  the  news  of  such  fierce  massacre  all  Europe 

shook. 
And    common   folks    and   zealous   hosts   of   clericals, 

enraged. 
Called  on  their  gallant  knights  anon,  a  new  Crusade  to 

raise 
And  this,  their  brothers'  blood  in  summary  measures 

avenge. 
Yet,  like  as  clouds  sometimes,  by  rapid  moves,  bedim 

the  skies. 
And  terror  spead  to  man  and  beast  of  some  approach- 
ing storm 


64     THE    RED    SULTAN'S    SOLILOQUY 

And  then,  with  all  their  gloom  and  rage  soon  harmlessly 

blow  o'er, 
So  all  these  violent  uproars  and  vehement  harangues 
Which  at  the  time,  I  must  confess,  with  terror  filled  my 

soul. 
And  made  me  think,  perchance,  the  time  had  at  last 

come  when  I 
Would  have  the  grim  renown  of  being  now  the  last 

Sultan 
With  whose  unlucky  doom  fore'er  the  sun  of  Osman's 

long 
And  glorious  rule  o'er  this,  the  world's  most  envied  soil 

would  set, 
Passed  off  without  event,  and  not  alone  a  single  Turk 
Was  not  chastized  for  this,  but  it  made  me  more  than 

before 
The  most  revered  and  potent  chief  the  Moslem  world 

possessed. 
Which  fact  not  only  did  leave  me  supreme  in  politics, 
But  what  of  infinite  and  world-wide  import  is,  and  one 
That  cheered  the  Prophet's  reins  more  than  a  sacrifice 

of  sheep, 
Was  that  my  brave    deport,    and   brilliant  coups  o'er 

Europe's  crowns 


THE    RED    SULTAN'S    SOLILOQUY     65 


To  our  God-sent  and  holy  Islam  did  new  life  impart; 

Whereby  its  votaries  of  every  clime  and  tongue  on 
earth 

Joined  hands  and  hearts  in  zealous  fellowship  and  guile- 
less vow 

E'er  to  defend  its  cause  and  teach  the  world  its  peerless 
creed — 

^' THERE  IS  NO  GOD  BUT  GOD,  MOHAMMED  IS  HIS 
PROPHET  TRUE." 

These  are  some  of  the  many  deeds  of  my  Sultanic 

reign ; 
Such  was  my  influence,  and  such  my  weight  among  the 

Powers, 
Which  none  dared  to  ignore,  but  all  their  utmost  taxed 

to  win. 
Nor  did  I  lie  at  ease  and  court  sweet  slumber's  fond 

embrace 
When  some  mishap — or  fire,  or  flood  or  seismic  shock 

severe — 
Dire  havoc  wrought  among  my  happy  flocks  or  far  or 

near. 
But  I  in  deepest  grief  long  ^dgils  kept  for  their  con- 
cerns. 


66     THE    RED    SULTAN'S    SOLILOQUY 

And  with  my  inmost  heart  and  richest  gold  in  quickest 

time, 
As  with  a  father's  hand,  I  sought  to  wipe  their  tears 

away. 
So,  too,  the  hospitals  and  every  house  of  charity 
What'er  its  creed,  or  Mussulman,  or  Christian  built 

alike, 
God  knows,  my  anxious  thoughts  and  care  and  royal 

stipend  shared 
And  breathed  their  softest  prayer:  ''God  grant  Abdul 

long  years  to  rule." 

And  when  the  needy  hosts  of  our  own  faith  from 

foreign  shores 
At    our    benign    and    hospitable    door    for    entrance 

knocked. 
With  cordial  arms  I  welcomed  them  into  our  friendly 

realm. 
And  with  my  own  ungrudging  hand  I  fostered  them 

with  care. 
And  gave  them  homes  of  fair  and  fertile  land  and 

blithsome  sky. 
Likewise  when  caravans  of  men  with  holy  aim  and  zeal 
From  far  and  near  to  Mecca's  Shrine  their  ways  did 

yearly  wend 


THE    RED    SULTAN'S    SOLILOQUY     67 

To  see,  O  happy  eyes !  that  great  and  sacred  mosque  of 

ours, 
And  there  pour  out  their  ardent  prayers  and  vows  to 

Islam's  God, 
E'er  to  confess  His  Prophet's  name  and  his  Koran 

revere, 
Of  these  none  ever  left  my  capital  without  a  gift. 

That  I  should  make  a  few  mistakes  in  my  intense 
desire 
And  arduous  task  to  safely  helm  the  Ship  of  State  to 

port, 
Is  but  to  prove  the  say:  "God  only  is  unerring  wise." 
That  I  should  fail  to  please  some  parasites,  some  faith- 
less souls. 
Who  fain  would  sacrifice  the  public  good  to  selfish  gain, 
Is  but  to  show  with  what  fidelity  and  deep  concern 
I  used  my  royal  trust  to  just  and  lofty  ends  thruout. 
Of  these  mine  enemies,  if  so  unkind,  may  well  accuse 
My  gracious  rule,  but  none,  or  foreigner  or  native  born, 
Shall  ever  say  of  me :    "Abdul  Hamid  was  not  a  Turk!" 

And  yet  for  all  my  deeds  of  love  and  sacrifices 
great 


68     THE    RED    SULTAN'S    SOLILOQUY 


For  my  vast  kingdom's  weal  and  happiness,  the  Young 

Turks'  race 
Has  thus  rewarded  me  in  my  advanced  and  feeble  age. 
Nor   did   they   spare   my  care-worn   face   and   deeply 

wrinkled  brow 
Where  every  furrow  marks  a  tome  of  history  unwrit. 
Look  at  these  once  erect  and  mighty  shoulders  of  my 

frame, 
That,  Atlas-like,  the  ponderous  globe  of  Osman's  em- 
pire bore, 
And,  as  an  oak  in  open  field,  so  long  undaunted  stood 
Before  the  raging  storms  of  three  and  thirty  years  of 

reign ! 
How  stooped  and  shrunken  now!     How  tottering  my 

limbs  I  feel! 
Untimely  old,  grown  not  with  years,  or  pains  in  body 

weak, 
But  broken  down  with  cares  of  state,  and  fears  lest  I 

should  fail 
To  guard  and  guide  aright  a  mighty  nation's  destiny 
Called  to  contest  with  Christendom  the  force  that  moves 

the  world. 

But  yesterday,  of  guards  and  servants  hosts  in  livery 


HIS  HOLINESS,   MCiR.  YOACHIM 
THE  GREEK   PATRIARCH 


AN    EMINENT    ECCLESIASTIC    WHO    HAS    FEARLESSLY    AND  VIGOROUSLY  DEFENDED  THE 
INTERESTS    OF    HIS    FLOCK    IN    TURKEY. 


HIS   UOLINKSS,   M(iK.    ISMIULIAN 
'"THE  I1K)N    PATUIAIKFI.  " 

K)H    MIS  sihom;    I'KiisoNAi.rrv  wiiii.i:     i-ai  ii  i  aiu  ii,    as    «i:ii.   as   ion    iiis   powkii- 
y\i.  voRi:   loii    iu:i-()it,>is   is    ah.mkma,    hi:    was   i;xii.i:i)     id    .ii:hi  sai.i:m.      aktkk 

TWKI.VK    VKAUS    OF    VIKTIAI.    IMl'UISONM  I-,-NT    TIIKKK,    UK    HKTriiMI)     TO    COXSTANTI- 
NOPLE    AMIDST    INDKSCHIHABLE    UEMOXSTUATIOXS    Ol      WELCOJIK. 


THE    RED    SULTAN'S    SOLILOQUY     73 


So  proudly  did  on  my  behests  and  royal  whims  await. 
But  yesterday  my  capital's  elite — renowned  Pashas, 
And  learned  Sheiks,  high  Patriarchs,  Ambassadors  of 

rank. 
Khans  and  Khedives  and  Viceroys  of  martial  mien  and 

fame — 
All  men  of  note,  or  foreigner  or  native-bred  ahke, 
As  bees  with  honey  fraught  surround  the  hive  to  store 

away 
The  floral  nectar,  so  swarmed  they  around  my  fair 

Yildiz 
To  pay  respect  and  loyal  prayers  at  my  exalted  throne. 
But  now,  alas!  deposed  by  force  from  this  my  high 

estate. 
And  like  a  rogue  or  murderer  all  but  in  chains  removed 
To  this  remote  and  guarded  house  a   prisoner  confined. 
Aye,  doomed  to  agonize  far  more  by  thoughts  of  Eden 

lost 
Than  fears  of  cruel  stripes  in  darkest  dungeons  can 

torment ! 
Would  God  I  could  blot  out  the  past  and  never  know 

that  I 
E'er  lived,  or  was  once  clothed  in  majesty  and  might 

supreme ! 


74     THE    RED    SULTAN'S    SOLILOQUY 


Then,  lo,  I  liad  escaped  this  keen  ignominy  and  shame, 
That  have,  like  waterspouts,  so  full  o'crwhehned  my 
inmost  soul. 

O,  why  is  man  so  blinded  that  he  doth  not  see  in 

time 
The  vanities  of  pride  and  earthly  glory,  but  like  as 
The  stupid  moth  hastes  to  the  glaring  torch  to  but  be 

scorched. 
And,  mindless  of  the  warning  words:     "Uneasy  lies 

the  head 
That  wears  a  crown,"  he  joys  to  wear  the  jeweled  hood 

of  sighs 
Henceforth  to  be  shut  up  within  some  fair  and  gilded 

gaol. 
And  atmosphered  with  fear  of  some  imagined  woe  to 

self? 
Ever  dreading  the  lurking  knife,  ever  looking  for  death 
In  porridge   or  in  pot,  never  at  peace,  never  at  ease, 
In  sleep  disturbed,  in  dreams  alarmed,  in  wake  fretful 

and  cross; 
Ever  in  storms  of  passion  fierce  and  envy-tossed  about; 
Always  plotting,  always  damning  but  never  rid  of  fear! 


THE    RED    SULTAN'S    SOLILOQUY     75 


Me  miserable!  yesterday  full  thirty  million  souls, 
Like    as    the    slaves    Upon    their   masters'    wills    and 

pleasure  wait, 
Of  me  took  their  command  to  live  and  move  as  happy 

men 
In  free  pursuit  to  earn  their  Hvelihood  amid  the  smile 
And  fond  caress  of  wife  and  children  gay,  or  wretches 

doomed 
To  expiate  in  chains  and  stocks  a  thoughtless  word  or 

deed 
Within  some  dim  and  dismal  fort  where  neither  friends 

approached, 
Nor  ever  did  loved  ones  a  warm  and  sweet  embrace 

bestow. 
Tell  me,  is  it  a  judgment  now  from  heaven's  bar  that  I, 
Yesterday's    lord    and   grim    dictator,    should    to-day 

myself 
A  petty  guard's  command  obey,  and  my  pure  air  and 

sunshine 
By  measure  only  have?    O  destiny  unthinkable! 

But  well  was  I  forewarned  against  the  day  of  this 
my  fall 
When  in  a  vivid  dream  I  once  saw  my  Stamboul  trans- 
formed 


76     THE    RED    SULTAN'S    SOLILOQUY 


Into  a  foreign  town  bedecked  with  dazzling  pomp  and' 

splendor, 
And  a  most  gay  and  gorgeous  pageant  far  surpassing 

all 
The  storied  scenes  of  ancient  Rome,  escorting  in  proud 

march 
A  conqueror  astride  a  fiery  steed  into  our  most 
Renowned  and  sacred  mosque,  once     old  Pyzantion's 

delight, 
And  as  they  went  a  most  tremendous  shouting  rent  the 
air: 

"  He  comes!    he  comes!    the  Hero  comes,  receive 
with  honors  due 
The  nation's  foremost  son  whose  mighty  guns 

fore'er  destroyed 
Fell  monarchy's  oppressive  rule,  and  in  its 

place  raised  high 
Our  country's  flag  with  words  in  gold — 
Sic  Semper  Tyrannis!  "* 
At  these  ill-omened  words,  sore    terrified  and  ghastly 

pale, 
I  quaked  and  sweat  a  chilly  sweat  that  ran  thru  my 

whole  frame. 
For  by  a  keen  and  strange  mistrust,  meseemed  this  mar- 
velous dream. 

*See  "  The  Sultan's  Vision  of  Dewey,"  by  the  Author, 


MIDHAT  PASHA 

THE    REPUTED    AUTHOR    OF    THE    ORTGINAI.     CONSTITUTION     WHO      DIED    IN    EXILE    IN 
ARABIA,    THOUGHT    BY    SOME    TO    HAVE    BEEN    ASSASSINATED. 

Such  views  I  once  adroifhj  cntshed,  and  their  chief  advocate 
Mij  otrn  Midltat,  irith  all  liis  aattelitex,  to  exile  sent. 

Page  84 


ODIAN  EFFENDI 


DISlINC.l    lSIIl:i)     AllMKMAN,     (INK      HI'       Till.      lit  AM  Kit  S 
TION     ASSOl  lAIKI)      \\  riH      MIDllAT      PASHA,       AS     WKI.l 
CREATED     111  F.I  H     OWN     NATIONAL    COXSTrnTIOX 


Tin:    (in  ii;i\  m.  i  (insiiit- 
s    oNi:  (11     iiii;  .mi:n    wiki 

SKK    NOTE    ox     I'AliK    :?+. 


i.i_iUW 


:W      iiJtUi     ■.i.ic^j.'iti'.  iti^ 


I  then  in  quickest 


famous 


lierce  ich  ui: 


Or  yet  unduly  dull  to  dia.:^'  :    tl 

Like  as  a  nurse  w>h  s*  -ened 


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01) IAN  EFFENDl 
niSTiNciuiSHEn  armkniav,  on'k   of    the    i-hamehs    of 

•,-|,i>       '^-    ..-■^■<■[■\.      >•■•,•.■       Mini!  VT      I'aSHA,      as      All  I,       \ 

cH  \sTnn'Tio\ 


THE   RED    SULTAN'S    SOLILOQUY     81 


Was  but  an  open  sign  of  some  new  man  displacing 

me, 
As  King,  upon  the  famous  throne  of  Osman's  famous 

hne. 
I  then  in  quickest  summons  had  my  Sheik  and  Grand 

Vizir 
Appear  at  my  still  trembling  feet  and  counsel  give  their 

lord. 
As  to  my  dream's  significance  and  my  strange  precious 

doom. 
But  they,  or  fearing  my  fierce  wrath  at  slich  unlucky 

news. 
Or  loath  the  Young  Turks'  dastard  plot  untimely  to 

disclose, 
Or  yet  unduly  dull  to  diagnose  the  signs  aright, 
Like  as  a  nurse  with  soothing  words     the  frightened 

child  doth  calm. 
With  one  accord  declared  my  fears  were  wholly  void 

of  ground ; 
That    my    dream's    knight    and    conqueror    was    an 

American 
Who  had  just  dealt  a  deadly    blow  to    Spain's    once 

mighty  arms; 
That  my  Sultanic  sway,  devoid  of  jeopardy  whate'er, 


82    THE    RED    SULTAN'S    SOLILOQUY 

Was  never  more  secure  and  apt  to  foil  the  plotters' 

wiles ; 
And  as  Gibraltar  laughed  to  scorn  the  hissing  shells  of 

aU 
Unwise  and  venturous  ships,  and  undisturbed  looked  on 

and  mocked 
The  foaming   waves'    impetuous    assaults,    so  did   my 

throne 
All  hostile  moves  within,  without,  in  majesty  defy." 

So,  eased  by  these  most  cheering  words,  I  set  me 

down  in  peace. 
Nor  ever  did  thenceforth  the  future  clouds  of  storm 

discern 
Until,  alas!  it  was  too  late  to  dam  the  maddened  flood 
That  soon  in  fury  swept  adown  and  wrecked  my  throne 

and  me. 
Had  I  not  been  so  easy  duped  by  men  of  my  own 

choice, 
But  held  on  to  mine  own  belief  of  this  impending 

storm, 
I  would  have  raked  my  brains  for  measures  new  and 

drastic  harsh. 
Or  conjured  up  to  aid  a  nether  force  of  dreadful  fame 


THE    RED    SULTAN'S    SOLILOQUY     83 


To  breathe  consuming  fire  and  wreak  dire  vengeance  all 

around, 
And  fill  up  hell  with  my   rash   foes    and   treacherous 

cabals !  i 

But  I  must  be  resigned  and  manfully  endure  my 
lot. 
For  neither  man,  nor  God  but  my  own  self,  I  must 

confess, 
Deserves  the  blame  for  this  my  loss  of  power  and  utter 

shame. 
For,  while  with  matchless  grasp  and  keenest  sight  I 

mastered  well 
The  crafty  games  that  Europe  played,  and  with  my 

counter  moves 
Kept  her  at  bay  so  long,  I  sorely  failed  to  meet  aright 
The  drift  of  thought  and  tendencies  within  mine  own 

domains. 
For  those  long  years  of  my  illustrious  reign  so  justly 

famed, 
As  Golden  Age,  for  its  prodigious  strides  in  Western 

lore ; 
In  schools  of  arts  and  sciences  and  modern  modes  of 

hfe. 


84     THE    RED    SULTAN'S    SOLILOQUY 


Which  I  myself  so  much  admired  and  patronized  with 

zeal, 
Also  diffused,  alas!  pernicious  views  about  my  throne. 
Such  views  I  once  adroitly  crushed  and  their  chief  advo- 
cate 
My  own  INIidhat  with  all  his  satellites  to  exile  sent, 
Where  they  expired  unwept  and  uncaressed  by  loving 

ones. 
Yet  it  now  seems  I  have  destroyed  the  men  but  not 

their  views. 
For  these  Young  Turks  imbued   alike  with   same   ob- 
noxious thoughts. 
In  utter  disregard  of  my  august  prerogatives, 
Nor  fearful  of  the  Prophet's  wrath,  made  a  demand 

of    me — 
Or  to  grant  them  a  Parliament,  or  see   the  land  in 

gore. 
So  forced  to  act,  nor  to  resist  their  wish  by  arms  pre- 
pared, 
Tho  ill  at  ease  thus  to  be  shorn  of  my  Sultanic  powers, 
I  then  proclaimed  a  Tanzimat* — a  new  regime  in  force, 
Thus  giving  them — IMoslem  and  Jew  and  Christian 
folks  alike 

*Constitution. 


THE  NEW  CRESCENT 


ONE  OF  THE  FINEST  SPECIMENS  OF  TURKISH  CALIGRAPHY,  EVERY  LINE  FORMING 
THE  CRESCENT  BEING  AN  ELONGATED  LETTER,  THE  COMBINATION  BREATHING  A 
BENEDICTION    UPON    THE    SULTAN    AND    THE    CONSTITUTION. 


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THE   RED    SULTAN'S    SOLILOQUY     89 


One  Parliament,  one  court,  one  tax,  one  native  land  for 
all; 

All  brothers  now.  Nor  would  the  Turk  henceforth  rest 
uncondemned 

Who  called  his  Christian  mate,  or  trading  Jew  a  faith- 
less giaour. 

It  was  a  day  unparalleled  in  Islam  history 
When  I  the  king  in  person  met  the  House  of  Deputies, 
And  with   a  speech  auspiciously  launched  forth  this 

Ship  of  State. 
All  Europe  watched  with  breathless  gaze  this  wonder 

new  and  great. 
While  the  stars  from  above  bouquets  of  light  in  plaudit 

poured 
Into  the  placid  lap  of  fair,  exultant  Marmora. 
I  also  did  an  amnesty  declare  thruout  the  land 
Which  flung  wide  open  all  the  prison  doors  and  massive 

forts. 
Nor  did  the  dungeons  dare  this  seismic  shock  of  rule 

defy. 
And  out  came  men  from  all  the  ranks,  both  low  and 

high  estate — 
A  multitude  enough  to  found  an  island  realm  there- 
with— 


90     THE    RED    SULTAN'S    SOLILOQUY 


Whose   rash,   unguarded  word   or   deed,    or   trend   of 

modern  thought. 
Stern     monarchy     once    deemed     unsafe     and     most 

impohtic. 
Full  seven  days  and  nights  the  public  all  in  gay  array 
This  marvelous  change  of  government  in  festive  mirth 

did  fete. 
Such     joyous     scenes,     such     happiness     and     warm 

fraternity, 
Wherein  were  lost  all  racial  sense  and  cultive  preju- 
dice, 
I  must  confess,  moved  me  to  tears,  and  love  unfelt 

before. 
God  helping  me,  I   softly  vowed,   I  will  henceforth 

become 
A  father-king  to  all,  and  all  shall  have  a  tender  spot 
In  my  warm  heart  and  equal  care  for  their  advance  and 

good. 

O,  if  I  only  had  guarded  my  heart  against  the  foe 
As  did  the  soldiers  guard  the  entrance  of  my  dear 

Yildiz! 
If  I  had  shut  my  ears  to  my  own  friends'  ill-timed 
advice 


THE    RED    SULTAN'S    SOLILOQUY     91 

As  shuts  a  maid  her  door  to  an  unwelcome  suitor's 

knock, 
I  had  not  lost  my  throne,  nor  suffered  this  ignomy! 
But  the  foul  fiend  of  pride,  alas!  soon  found  his  bane- 
ful way 
Into  my  heart  and  there,  hke  as  the  noxious  worm  lays 

hid 
Its  cankerous  seed  in  some  well  favored  bark,  so  did  he 

leave 
Seditious  thoughts  of  dire  revenge  upon  the  heads  of 

all 
Who  first  designed  and  carried  out  this  dastard  coup 

d'etat^ 
And  made  my  majesty  to  merely  play  a  puppet's  role! 
So,  crazed  with  smarting  sense    of  outraged  power  and 

lost  estate. 
And  lured  by  morbid  hope  to  gain  my  royal  prestige 

back. 
The  loath  to  break  the  solemn  oath   which   publicly  I 

took 
E'er  to  defend  the  Tanzimat  and  execute  its  laws, 
At  last  I  did  to  strong  temptation  yield,  and  with  my 

gold* 

*It  was  reported  in  the  papers  that  50,000  Turkish  pounds  or  over  220,000 
dollars  had  been  distributed  among  the  garrisons. 


92  THE  RED  SULTAN'S  SOLILOQUY 

Infectious  hate  and  discontent  and  mutiny  designed, 
Before   whose  wrath   and  bloody  march,   hke   as  the 

frightened  mice 
Before  the  cat,  confused,  into  their  holes  do  flee,  so  did 
The  Young  Turks'  race  of  whelps  into  their  lairs  escape 

pel-mel. 
I  thus  once  more  in  triumph  sat  on  my  Sultanic  throne. 
And  laughed  to  scorn  this  latest  plot  to  curb  a  Caliph's 

power. 
AH  Islam  cheered  this  victory  of  Sheriat  and  cried: 
"Away  with  the  apostate  race,  long  live  the  Padishah!" 
I  had,  howe'er,  misjudged  the  Young  Turks'  strength 

and  last  resort. 
For  soon,  alas,  the  dust  of  their  Thessalian  hosts  like 

clouds 
Rose  high  around  my  fair  Stamboul,  and  ghastly  terror 

spread 
O'er  all,  of  certain  death  and  ruin  such  as  once  o'ertook 
The  Greeks  M^hen  our  inmiortal  sire  the  conqueror  laid 

siege 
To  proud  Pyzantion  and  fiercely   stormed   its  massive 

walls. 
And  great  Shevket,  my  vision's  real  knight,   I  now 

believe, 


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THE    RED    SULTAN'S    SOLILOQUY     97 


With  matchless  lead    which    would  have    merited  the 

greatest  praise, 
Did  he  invade  some  infidel  metropohs,  or  march 
Against  Arabia's  untamed  and  lawless  bands  that  have 
So  long  defied  my  Cahphate,  nor  yet  been  won  with 

gold, 
Compelled  fort  after  fort  to  give  up  arms  and  beg  for 

peace, 
And  breathed  dire  woe  to  all  who  did  his  martial  will 

resist. 
Thus  he,  at  last,  my  loyal  troops   and  body  guards 

subdued, 
And  not  a   few  to  their  Edenic  bliss  untimely  sent. 
All  heaven  saw  this  most  unholy   strife  and  gently 

wept. 
Because  in  Moslem  land  the  Moslems  shed  the  Moslems' 

blood! 

Then  all-unawed,  they  laid  unrighteous  hands  on 

Islam's  Chief 
And  Padishah,  unmoved  by  tears,  or  touching  pleas  to 

spare 
My  hoary  head  this  cruel  fate  of  shame  and  crushing 

blow. 


98  THE  RED  SULTAN'S  SOLILOQUY 


"At  least,"  I  plead  on  bended  knee,  "if  shorn  of  power 

I  must 
Needs  be  a  sacrifice,  and  thus  the  Young  Turks'  wrath 

appease. 
Or  bow  assent  to  higher  will,  grant  me  one  only  wish: 
When  I  am  dead  or  by  the  hangman's  art,  or  in  bastille 
Succumbed  to  foul  disease,  O,    bring  me  back   to  my 

Yildiz, 
And  bury  me  in  silent  dirge  beneath  the  cypresses 
That  overlook  the  Bosphorus   and   moan   the    saddest 

there!" 
Then  in  the  dead  of  night,  disgraced  and  ousted  from 

my  throne. 
Like  as  a  felon  led  in  strong  patrol,  they  hied  me  off 
To  this  remote  and  dismal  fort,  to  wait  uncertain  doom, 
Or  pine  away  with  gnawing  grief  till  merciful  death  bid 
My  poor,  unlucky  soul  this  base  and  faithless  world 

depart. 

But  where,  O  where  is  now  my  Kaiser  friend  and 
great  compeer 
Who  only  a  short  time  ago,  to  the  surprise  of  all 
The  rest  of  Europe's  titled  sires,  set  his  imperial  feet 
Upon  our  famous  shores  and  on  our  Moslem  altar  laid 


THE    RED    SULTAN'S    SOLILOQUY     99 


The  votive  oiFering  of  his  fraternal  love  to  us? 
No  other  potentate    in  all  this  my  eventful  life 
Professed  such  amity  to  me  in  covenantal  terms 
To  firmly  stand  by  me  and,  Hke  a  priest  in  sacred 

fane, 
Keep  ever  burning  bright  the   light   of  my   illustrious 

reign. 
While  jealous  foes  around  my  heritage  did  daily  strive 
To  put  it  out,  and  plunge  my  soul  into  eternal  night. 
I  well  remember  yet  how  standing  up  like  very  Mars, 
And  with  his  large  and  piercing  eyes  aflame  with 

martial  fire. 
He  pointed  out  to  his   Teutonic  hosts  and  dreadful 

guns 
Ready  to  belch  forth  death  and  desolation  all  around. 
Should  any  power  on  land  or  sea  dare  harm  my  majesty. 
I  placed  implicit  faith  in  these,  his  generous  words  of 

cheer, 
And  to  reciprocate  such  intimate  fraternity, 
I  did  not  only  give  His  Majesty  my  warmest  love. 
And  showed  him  honors  high,  unshown  to  other  men 

before, 
(And  I,  besides,  with  loads  of  richest  gems  of  Eastern 

art 


100  THE    RED    SULTAN'S    SOLILOQUY 

Made    glad    his    royal    heart    beyond    his    dream    or 

precedent*) 
But    to    cement    our    friendship    firmer    still,    I    next 

bestowed 
Upon  his  Majesty's  devoted  race  Sultanic  rights 
To  build   and  operate  in  my  domain's  most  favored 

spot 
Railways    and    mines    and   vast    conmiercial    interests 

therewith 
Until  its  wealth  surpassed  the  fabled  wealth  of  India's 

kings. 

Well  did  the  ]Moscovite  with  anger  burn  and  gnash 

his  teeth, 
When  he  beheld  this  mighty  bond  of  friendship  looming 

up 
To  put  a  lasting  end  to  his  ambitious  aims  of  old — 
To  seize  upon  my  glorious  Sultanry  and  thus  possess 
The    fairest    land    that    ever    crowned    a    conqueror's 

exploits. 
Ha!  Ha!  I  laughed  then  at  my  ancient  foe  and  deadly 

plague 

*It  was  reported  at  the  time  that  one  such  present  alone — a  jewelled 
necklace  given  to  the  German  Empress — was  valued  at  S!t6,000.  Altogether 
the  visit  of  the  Kaiser  was  said  to  have  cost  the  Sultan  over  10,000,000  of 
dollars. 


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THE    RED    SULTAN'S    SOLILOQUY    105 

Whose  ravages  at  times  had  caused  my  reahn  unnum- 
bered woes 
But  now,  by  such  a  master-stroke  of  pohcy  as  this, 
I  thus  forever  kept  the  vicious  Bear  at  bay  at  last. 
And  yet  how  false  and  transient  have  my  joys  and 

triumphs  proved! 
When  I  consider  that  in  this  my  fall  and  forced  removal 
My   Kaiser   friend   has   stood   aloof   as    silent  as   the 

Sphinx, 
And  not  a  word  of  protest  has  unsealed  his  mighty  lips, 
Nor  yet  a  cannon  fired  to  rescue  me  from  the  foul  hands 
That  did  so  sacrehgiously  depose  my  majesty. 
Alas,  I  have  been  doped  to  halcyon  dreams  with  mock- 
ing hopes, 
And  great  Midhat  ev'n  in  his  grave  has  conquered  me 
at  last! 

But  I  must  not  God's  wise   decrees   in  ignorance 

impugn, 
Perchance  He  means  to  thus  chastize  the  fast  estraying 

land; 
Because  the  Moslem  youth  of  these  our  days  with  pious 

prayer 
No  longer  do  the  Prophet's  name  and  his  Koran  revere. 


106  THE    RED    SULTAN'S    SOLILOQUY 

Nor  like  their  worthy  sires  with  burning  zeal  and  tire- 
less vim 
Great  Islam's  cult  and  its  divine  authority  affirm. 
But  with  their  Frankish  lores  and  cultured  forms  and 

graceful  styles 
Alas!  unwholesome  ways,  and  doubts  and  follies  have 

acquired. 
And  what  once  did  our  gloried  trait  and  highest  virtue 

form, 
And  make  us  truly  great — admired  in  peace  and  feared 

in  war — 
Alas!    is  passing  fast,  and  Moslems  now  like  giaours 

delight 
In  giaour  salons  and  dens  their  liquid  curse  to  sip  with 

glee! 
And  so,  perhaps,  my  God,  whom  I  have  so  devotedly 
Adored  five  times  a  day,  lo,  these  more  than  three  scores 

of  years. 
In  special  love  and  providence,  to  save  my  precious  life 
As  He  once  showed  to  Lot  the  Patriarch — peace  be  on 

him! — 
Had  me  brought  out  (tho  not  at  all  by  holy  angels'  aid) 
Of  the  metropolis  and  nest  of   the   estranged   Young 

Turks, 


THE    RED    SULTAN'S    SOLILOQUY   107 

Ere    sulphurous    foe    from    heav'n    destroyed    their 
memories  fore'er. 

O,  God  forbid  that  I  should  ever  pray  for  heaven's 

curse 
Upon  the  glorious  Sultanry  of  which  I  was  deprived. 
Or  e'en  th'  apostate  clique  who,  unabashed,  usurped 

my  throne. 
And  yet,  methinks,  a  strong  prophetic  vision  comes  to 

me, 
Whose  black  forebodes  of  ill,  well  nigh  congeal  my 

very  blood. 
How  my  heart  trembles  as  my  tongtie  relates  that  after 

me 
The  empire  shall  be  stirred  by  great  disturbances,  such 

as 
Our  fathers  never  saw  or  read  about  in  all  their  lives! 
The  Tanzimat  which  they  so  hailed  with  joy  as  granting 

them 
Full  liberty  of  thought  and    limiting    the    monarch's 

power, 
Shall  be    the  most  prolific  source  of  their  untempered 

woes. 
For,  first  of  all,  the  Christians  will,  like  Moslems,  arm 

themselves 


108  THE    RED    SULTAN'S    SOLILOQUY 

And  learn  the  art  of  war  with  all  dispatch  and  mar- 
velous zeal, 
So  that  they  will  no  longer  bear  in  meek  and  abject 

fear 
The  wrongs  they  long  endured,  unarmed,  as  serfs,  but 

will,    with  vim 
Defend     themselves     against     their     Turcoman     and 

Kurdish  foes. 
This  will  stir  up  the  latter's  blood  and  lordly  sense  of 

old. 
And  make  them  gnash  their  teeth  for  massacre  and 

greedy  loot. 
As  they  in  former  years  have  done  with  full  impunity; 
And  down  they'll  shout  with  laws  that  make  the  giaours 

on  par  with  us. 
And  death  to  all  who  will  henceforth  play  not  their 

r ayah's  role! 
Then  shall  break  out  in  diverse  seats  the  storms  of 

racial  hate, 
And  men   afoam   with   rage   shall  kill  to   shame   the 

fiends  of  hell, 
Till  tens  of  thousands  of  the  infidels  have  perished  so, 
And  with  their  cursed  blood  the  land's  bedyed,  who 

cares  for  this? 


HIS  EXCELLENCY,   NAOUM   EFFENDI 


KHAKHA.M-BASHI    OR    CHIEF    HABBI,    THK    POLITICAL    HEAD    OF    THE   JEWS. 

Thux  </ii'iii(/  llu'tn — MoxJi'iii  and  .Inr  mid  CJirixtian  folkx  (iliki: — 
One  Parlldiiu'id,  otic  court,  one  fax,  one  natirr  land  for  all. 

Page  84 


PRINCE  SABAIl-i:i)-I)IN 


niSTiNC. I'lsiii.i)  SKi'iiiiw  oi'  iiii:  si  i.r.vs  who  had  (  ixi.d  in  voi.rNTAiiY  kxii.k. 
KOH    KKiiiT   ^•|;AUS.      ni;ri  um:i)    ho.mi;    huincmnc.    with     him     thk    kxhimki)    hk- 

MAINS  OF  HIS  STII.I.  .'MOHl-;  DIS  TIN  (i  T ISU  III)  FATHKll,  D.VMAI)  PASHA,  WHO  HAD 
niFD  IN  KXII.K.  POIITKAI.I.Y  THK  IMIINC  K  STANDS  FOR  DECENTRALIZATION,  OH 
THK    I'HINCIl'I.K    or    MAXIM  I'M     I.OCAI.    SKI.F    (JOVEHXMENT. 


THE    RED    SULTAN'S    SOLILOQUY   113 

For,  lo,  more  tears  are  shed  in  heav'n  when  falls  one 

Mussulman 
Than  when  whole  armies  fall,  who  won't  the  Prophet's 

creed  confess. 

Men  shall  lose  faith  in  man,  alike  in  friend  and 
enemy. 

The  government  shall  eye  the  citizen  askance,  and  he 

The  government  with  keen  distrust  and  illboding 
reserve. 

While  frequent  raids  and  finds,  by  the  police,  of  bombs 
and  arms 

Shall  fill  the  jails  with  plotting  rogues,  and  thus  in- 
augurate 

A  reign  of  terror  and  a  harvest  of  untimely  deaths. 

Then  civil  wars  in  all  their  hellish  horrors  shall  break 
forth 

Thruout  the  empire's  length  and  breadth,  and,  lo,  race 
after  race. 

From  far  Armenia's  historic  plains  to  Balkan  heights. 

Which  I,  by  iron  hand,  long  held  in  liege  and  fear, 
shall  raize 

Rebellion's  flag  in  desperate  attempt  to  free  them- 
selves 


114     THE    RED    SULTAN'S    SOLILOQUY 

From  Turkish  yoke,  and  set  up  their  own  independent 
thrones. 

Nor  will  the  Christians  be  the  only  ones  that  will 
revolt, 

But  Kurd  and  Arab  hordes  in  all  their  most  atrocious 
might 

Will  join  the  fray  and  scatter  death  and  ruin  every- 
where. 

And  Moslem  shall  fight  Moslem  with  Satanic  power 
and  skill 

Till  blood  shall  flow  as  flow  the  streams,  and  carcasses 
on  heaps 

Set  up  a  lasting  feast  to  birds  of  prey  and  hungry  dogs. 

Then  shall  the  Powers  of  Europe  rise  in  greedy  enter- 
prise, 

And  selfishly  divide  among  themselves  what  now  is  left 

Of  once  the  mighty  Turkish  Sultanry,  and  thus  alas! 

A  thousand  times  alas!  the  curtain  finally  will  drop 

Upon  this  utmost  tragic  end  of  a  great  nation's  life. 

Then  shall  the  free  and  noble  Mussulmans  of  former 
days 

Themselves  become  rayahs,  and,  as  the  Christians  once 
served  them 


THE    RED    SULTAN'S    SOLILOQUY   115 


So  shall  they  serve  the  Christians,  now  in  abject  fear 

and  meekness. 
Nor  will  the  clarion  notes  of  the  muezzin's  call  to  prayer 
Ring  out  again  their  pristine  sweet,  celestial  rhythm 

abroad, 
But  every  time  that  they  go  forth  to  bid  the  faithful 

pray. 
They  will  unfaiHngly  revive  in  them  the  bitter  past. 
And  be  the  sign  for  them  to  stand,  Koran  in  hand, 

beneath 
The  shadows  of  their  once  proud  minarets,  and,  like 

the  Jews 
Around  the  waihng  walls  of  old  Jerusalem,  weep  on 
Despondent  tears,  and  breathe  remorseful  prayers  to 

God  on  high. 
Ruing   the    day   when   vicious   men    first   forced   the 

Caliph's  hand 
To  grant  a  Parliament  and  liberty  thruout  the  land. 
So,  too,  shall  Moslem  girls  repair  to  where  sweet  waters 

flow. 
But  not  repair  with  merry  hearts  to  sing  and  dance 

again. 
But  to  compose  the  saddest  lays  their  saddest  fate  to 

mourn. 


116  THE    RED    SULTAN'S    SOLILOQUY 


And  wish  for  those  good  old  Hamidian  days  and  their 

gay  times. 
Methinks  I  hear  their  doleful  strains  disturb  the  gentle 

air: 

Alas!  alas!  for  Osman's  race 

Once  mighty  lords,  now  in  disgrace. 

Sing  it  in  song  of  solemn  air, 

Let  all  its  gloom    and  sadness  share. 

Bid  the  ashucks*  take  up  the  Ijtc 
And  clad  in  coarse,  sackcloth  attire, 
Go,  Avalk  the  land  from  door  to  door, 
And  this  our  fall  from  fame  deplore. 

Let  the  imams  who  know  the  past 
Each  year  ordain  a  public  fast, 
And  tell  the  world  the  reason  why 
The  Ottomans  now  weep  and  sigh. 

Let  fathers  tell  the  rising  youth — 

Nor  try  to  hide  the  painful  truth — 

Our  name  once  shook  the  Christian  thrones. 

But  now  the  Turk  his  lot  bemoans. 

Let  mothers  make  this  awful  wrong 
Their  saddest  theme  and  wailing  song: 

•Turkish  troubadours. 


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TIKKISH    l.ADV 

Then  irihil  hnmllis  hHIi  iIkiu  ri/c-'f 
No  lonrfer  "-III  iiunr  nilnrx  prhc, 
And  from  Ixliind  the  latlicc  irorh 
Huij,   lo,  there  (joex.  a  lordlij  Turk! 


Pajfe  \>\ 


THE    RED    SULTAN'S    SOLILOQUY   121 

That  when  they  took  Abdul  away 
Fair  Glory  left  the  Turkish  sway. 

Ye  sons  of  sires  of  mighty  wars 
Whose  matchless  deeds  bedimmed  the  stars, 
Go,  join  henceforth  the  dervish  band, 
And  howl  aloud  your  fatherland. 

Hang  up  your  gun  and  bayonet, 
And  all  the  arts  of  war  forget. 
Your  noble  knees  alas!  from  now 
To  infidel  behest  shall  bow. 

Then  veiled  beauties  with  ebon  eyes 
'No  longer  will  your  valors  prize. 
And  from  behind  the  lattice-work 
Say,  lo,  there  goes  a  lordly  Turk! 

Ye  luckless  maids  of  Osman's  seed, 
I  charge  you  all  by  Islam's  creed. 
That  once  a  year  in  deepest  grief 
Ye  shall  lament  the  fallen  chief. 

Go,  seek  in  love  his  lonely  tomb 
That  holds  with  his  an  empire's  doom ; 
There  gently  strew  your  sweetest  flowers. 
There  gently  shed  your  tears  in  showers! 


122  THE    RED    SULTAN'S    SOLILOQUY 

Ah !  if  such  is  posterity's  high  estimate  of  me, 
If  thus  in  tender  love  I  shall  be  sUng  in  years  to  come, 
Fain  will  Abdul  to  this  austere  decree  in  silence  bow 
Since  he  in  death  shall,  deathless,  still  a  mightier  scepter 

wield. 
For,  who  knows  not  that  this  world's  best  and  sweetest 

incense  burns 
On  altars  built  to  deify  the  dead  far  rather  than 
The  living  praise  and  to  their  deeds   of  worth  just 

homage  pay? 
So,  comforted  by  this  unerring  course  of  history, 
I  shall,  resigned,  aye,  with  delight,  this  cup  of  hemlock 

drain, 
And  thus  go,  join  the  ranks  of  those  unseen  and  potent 

dead 
Whose  lofty  souls  this  base  and  faithless  world  prized 

not  in  life. 
But  now  adores  with  reverent  zeal  as  demigods  on  high ! 

Then  fare  you  well  my  throne  and  all  ye  pomps 
of  earthly  rule! 
Tho  forced  by  ruthless  hands  to  abdicate  my  sovranty. 
And  well  nigh  mad  by  this  my  loss  and  fathomless  dis- 
grace, 


THE    RED    SULTAN'S    SOLILOQUY   123 


Yet  I  leave  you  content,  and  with  a  mind  at  peace  with 

God. 
Full  well  assured  within  my  inmost  heart  that  when  at 

last 
I'm  laid  away  in  dust,  and  there  await  the  judgment 

day 
When  all  shall  hear  their  final  doom,  or  damn'd  forever 

more 
Or  hailed  to  Paradise,  there  shall  greet  me  the  Prophet's 

voice 
And  for  reward,  bid  houri  hosts  with  smiles  and  soft 

embrace 
Upon  my  lordly  will  and  pleasures  wait  thru  endless 

days. 

So,   too,   farewell,  my   fairy   Kiosk   my   favorite 
Yildiz, 
To  me  at  once  the  gladdest  and  the  saddest  spot  on 

earth 
Where,  of  a  truth,  in  mirth  no  other  Paradise  I  craved, 
Nor  yet  in  agony  of  mind  a  fiercer  hell  conceived! 
Ah !  little  did  I  dream  that  this  my  star  of  fate,  which 
shone 
With  such  resplendent  glow  o'er  thy  enchanted  premises 


124  THE    RED    SULTAN'S    SOLILOQUY 


And  with  its  silver  light  my  darkest  pathway  long 

illumed, 
Would  so  untimely  set,  and  in  my  old  and  feeble  age 
Cause  me  to  leave  thy  sacred  grounds,  and  spend  my 

closing  days 
In  far  away  exile,  amid  most  bitter  memories. 

But  oh!  of  all  my  vast  domains  and  Caliphate  the 

most 
The  loss  of  my   Stamboul  the  Queen  of  Capitals  I 

mourn. 
No  other  spot  on  earth  is  so  adorned  by  Nature's  hand 
With  lavish  charms  of  sea  and  land  like  as  a  dream  of 

mind 
Of  some  Elysian  world  where  gods  and  goddesses  abide, 
And  nymphal  forms  alone  disturb  the  water's  gentle 

calm. 
Her  Golden  Horn  and  Bosphorus  and  JNIarmora's  blue 

mere 
Where  Europe  wooes  fair  Asia  with  amorous  embrace, 
While  sweet,  levantine  zephyrs  blow  to  lull  the  soulful 

pair, 
And   brightsome   stars   with   merriment  wink    at   the 

lovers,  too. 


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THE    RED    SULTAN'S    SOLILOQUY   127 

Shall  ever  last  to  lure  and  tantalize  Napoleons, 

And  be  the  one  most    envied    goal    for    all    ambitious 

Czars. 
Would  God  my  vision  proved  untrue  and  wholly  void 

of  iU, 
And  Osman's  glorious  flag  did  never  cease  to  proudly 

wave 
Upon  this  magic  site  and  City  of  Two  Continents! 
Great    Masterwork    of   Time,    my    peerless    Capital, 

farewell ! 


ub  3UU  I  nuniM  t 


AA    000  757  404    9 


